Gate-fastener.



T. J.v WILLIAMS. GATE FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED MALI}, 1912.

1,035,505, Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

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. end of the gate is adapted to be fastened.

end bar B to which one of the ends of the mg drawings.

.closed position but the wires thereof are THOMAS J., WILLIAMS. OFSHEFFIELD, IOWA.

GATE-.FASTEN'EB.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

Application filed March 4, 1912I Serial No. 681,506.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I,lnoM/\s J.\VILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shellield, in the county of Franklin and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-lfiasteners, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompany- This invention relates to improvements in gate fasteners andmore particularly to a simple, efiicient and durable device of thischaracter which is particularly designed for application and use inconnection with farm gates constructed of wire fencing whereby the gateis not only securely held in its stretched or held taut.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a fastener for the abovepurpose w ich may be inexpensively manufactured, easily and quicklyapplied or removed and can be readily operated to secure or release theate.

g With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved gate fastener showing the same apu icd to a fence post; Fig. 2is a similar view showing the positions of the parts when the gate isfastened; Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof; and .Fig. 4 is a sideelevation illustrating a different application of the fastener.

Referring in detail to the drawing P designates the fence post to whichthe free G indicates the gate which includes the wires W are secured.The other ends of these wires are connected to the other vertical gatebar which is mounted upon a hinged post (not shown) in any preferredmanner.

The upper end of the fence post P is reduced in thickness and upon thesame the elongated U-shaped lever 5 is mounted for pivotal movement uponthe bolt 6 which is transversely disposed through the post. The parallelside bars 7 of this pivoted .dicated. at 14:. A loop lever are curved orbent as indicated at 8,

said curved ends of the bars being disposed adjacent to the fence post.The other portions of the arms extending upon the opposite side of thepivot bolt (5 are of considerably greater length so that the desiredleverage necessary to close the gate is obtained. The intermediateconnectingportion 9 of said lever provides a convenient handle which isadapted to be grasped to swing said lever as will be understood from thefollowing description.

In the up er end of the gate bar B a bolt 10 is SQCUIEK and the end ofthis bolt which is disposed upon one side of the bar toward the fencepost is provided with a hook 11. A U-shaped bar 12 is provided with anintermediate contracted looped portion 13 with which the hook 11 of thebolt 10 is adapted to be engaged. The ends of this U-shaped bar arepivotally connected to the hooked ends of the operating lever 5 as in-15 embraces the lower end of the fence post and the gate bar, said loopbeing preferably hinged as at 16 to the post.

In the operation of my improved fastener as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whenit is desired to fasten the gate in its closed position. the operatinglever 5 is swung upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 and overtoward the gate. The lever is then forced downwardly so that the hookedends thereof will be disposed upon the opposite side of the fence postas shown in Fig. 2 and the parallel arms of said operating lever disposed upon opposite sides of the upper end of the gate bar B. In thismovement of said lever, it will be readily seen that by means of theU-shaped connecting bar 12, the upper end of the gate bar will be forcedover toward the fence post until said bar is disposed in substantiallyparallel relation thereto, the lower end of said bar moving upon theloop 15. In this movement of the gate bar the wires of the gate will betightly stretched and held taut. When the operat ing lever is in theposition shown in Fig. 2, the transverse connecting portion 9 betweenthe arms of said lever is disposed below the plane of the pivot 6 of thelever so that said lever will retain the position to which it has beenmoved until the same is forced upwardly to release the tension of thegate wires. The intermediate portion 9 of the operating lever 5 isprovided with an open ing for the attachment to said lever of a keeperloop 17, This loop is adapted to engage over the end of the bolt 10 or anail driven into the upper end of the gate bar lit when the gate isfastened to prevent accidental movementof the lever to its releaseposition which mi'ht be caused by stock mocking against t e wires or barof the te. I a In Fig. t I have illustrated a slightly differentarrangement of the parts wherein the o eratin lever is pivotally mountedu on tie gate ar B instead of the post P w-iile the bolt 10 to which themember 12 is connected is disposed through the upper end of said fencepost. The operation of this form of the invention is precisely similarto that above described.

Either arrangement of the elements of the fastener maybe employed tosuitthe convenience of the individual user.

W'hilc I have shown anddes'cribed the pre ferred form and constructionof the various arts, itwill be obvious that the invention 18 susceptibleof a great many modifications in the form, proportion and arrangementthereof without departing from the essential feature-or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

aeaaeee I-Iavin thus described the invention what is claims is Thecombination with a gate and a loop embracing the lower end of the gatebar and the fence post, of fastening means for said gate comprising abolt fixed to the u per end of the gate bar and having a hOOI on oneend, a U shaped bar providcd'with a loop in its intermediate portion tobe engaged with thdhookcd end of said bolt, an operating lever ofelongated U shaped form having its extremities curved and disposed uponopposite sides of the gate post, a ivot bolt disposed through the curvedencs of said lever at an intermediate point and through the gate post,the extremities of said curved ends of the lever bein pivotallyconnected to the ends of said U s aped bar, and. a loop carried b saidlever to enga e over the other end 0 the bolt to hold said lever againstpivotal movement and retain the gate bar in its fastened position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

THOMAS J. WILLIAMS.

lVitnesses:

MAneUEm'rE LOUGENE, W. H. REYNOLDS.

